Autodesk ReCap

Autodesk ReCap Pro, the second tool in the ReCap duo, is a data-preparation environment designed to enable faster, better visualization of point clouds inside other Autodesk 2014 applications. It runs on the desktop and provides functionality similar to other point cloud–viewing applications — that is, you can index, combine, view, and edit point cloud data, including light detection and ranging (LIDAR) data, prior to importing it into other Autodesk 2014 applications.

If you are reading this article, then you probably have had some experience working with point clouds, and you may know that laser scanners can produce flawless data that can be edited and repurposed in a variety of ways. But to utilize this point cloud data, you typically need computer hardware that can accommodate very substantial memory and processing requirements. There may be hundreds or thousands of files to manage, and the storage requirements are significant. Although functionality is always improving, CAD software traditionally has not done a very good job of managing and processing that enormous amount of data.

Laser scan data in Autodesk ReCap Pro (top) shows height variance in a factory. That same data was converted into a usable 3D model (bottom) using ReCap Pro.

When I get a new scan data set, the first thing I do is look at the point clouds, and visualization is the most basic operation that I perform. To execute this task, I have to be able to open and manage all the relevant point cloud files. Autodesk ReCap Pro provides the tools to do that.

The ReCap Pro user interface (UI) resembles that of Microsoft Windows 8 Metro. At the time of my review, this interface was not easy to use; however, Autodesk reports that it has made changes to the UI to improve the user experience. Otherwise, the software is fairly easy to use. From the Home screen, you can open an existing project, start a new project, access Help, change settings, and exit the application.

Prior to importing the raw point cloud files into ReCap Pro, you have to adjust the import settings for all or a selected group of files. There are five settings that you can control:

Distance Range sets which points are included in the imported scan based a minimum and maximum distance from the scanner.

Intensity Range sets the range of points that are imported based on the reflection (intensity) values.

Decimation Grid controls the number of points to import by setting the smallest cubic volume that a single point can occupy.

Coordinate System aligns the point cloud to a specific ESPG coordinate reference system.

Recap Pro File Compatibility

The following file formats can be indexed by Recap Pro:

ASC

CL3

CLR

E57

FLS

FWS

ISPROJ

LAS

PCG

PTG

PTS

PTX

RDS

TXT

XYB

XYZ

ZFS

ZFPRJ

Once you start the import process, ReCap Pro begins indexing the files. This indexing process, which converts the point cloud files to Autodesk’s proprietary Reality Capture Scan (RCS) file format, can take anywhere from a few seconds to hours, depending on the number and size of the files imported. The Import Settings dialog box displays the status of the import process. When the indexing process is done, you can save an aggregated scene of the project to a single Reality Capture Project (RCP) file that links to the processed data.

During my testing, a 1.5-GB dataset with eight original files took about an hour to complete. A single 5-GB PCG file took approximately four hours.

After the importation process is complete, you can organize, clean up, and analyze the data. ReCap Pro provides several methods to organize the data and remove or hide portions of the point cloud. You can create scan regions that you can toggle on and off, specify temporary clip regions, turn off or remove scan files, or delete unwanted points permanently. By viewing the scene using various color modes and lighting schemes, you can gain insight into elevations, normals (which help identify surfaces), and reflectivity.

Once you finalize and save your scene, you can open that RCP file in many other Autodesk 2014 applications, including Revit, AutoCAD, and Navisworks. In my tests, I found that manipulating the model in another Autodesk application was better when using the RCP format than when using the native scan file format.

Today’s design workflows — from architecture to product development to factory design — rely on reality capture technologies to save time and money and improve accuracy when working with as-built data. Autodesk’s new ReCap products make it easy and affordable to turn scanned data and photographs into high-resolution 3D models that you can bring into your Autodesk design software to begin your design process in context. If you’re a user of any Autodesk 2014 product suite, you’ve got to give these tools a try. Highly Recommended.

About the Author: Patrick Davis

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